After an absence lasting nearly three months, Glebe Youth Services have returned to their building on Glebe Point Road. Following a report by Housing NSW, which found the building to be unsafe, the staff of GYS had no option but to offer their services as best they could elsewhere. They made use of public spaces for their group activities and occupied a three-desk office in Glebe Town Hall for administrative duties.
GYS ran a full school holiday program throughout January. This included trips to the beach, sports days and a day trip to the Blue Mountains. GYS had been forced to cut the hours of the 12 casual workers who normally run such programs, so they were run instead by Amy O’Neill and Luke Chesworth (two of the three youth workers who make up the full-time staff). Ms O’Neill explained that the meeting points were outside their building at 84 Glebe Point Road in order to “keep the familiarity of the service alive”.
Keiran Kevans, GYS’s head service coordinator, emphasised the importance of “providing a location which feels safe and secure [for our programs]”. There were major issues with continuing “sharp end” services, such as individual case management and workshops, during the lock-out. Whilst unable to offer these programs in the usual manner, staff at GYS met with their clients for individual talks at their regular group programs, such as the “After Dark” meeting, or their regular Boyzone and Girlzone activities.
The staff at GYS have recognised the strong support they had from the Glebe community during the lockout. “The support came from everywhere,” said Ms O’Neill. “Everyone was involved, [both] individually and through organisations … it was humbling. If there’s anything I’ve learnt from this … it’s that our link with community is even stronger than I thought.”
The NSW Liberal Party announced on their website that Housing NSW has upgraded the electrical systems and fire detection equipment in the building, and plan to commit another $50,000 over the next year to improve the safety of the premises.
